


Gotham's Best Interests

by Merfilly



Category: DCU (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2008-02-27
Updated: 2008-02-27
Packaged: 2017-12-25 11:47:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 615
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/952711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dinah pulls Bruce aside for a heart to heart</p>
            </blockquote>





	Gotham's Best Interests

**Author's Note:**

> This was written as a lead-in to an AU I never wrote... but it begins around the time of the Lightning Saga.

"Walk with me."

An eyebrow rose under the cowl, as Bruce heard his own tone of 'no-argument-allowed' thrown back at him. He took up a place at the diminutive heroine's side, turning over recent events in his mind to determine just what was afoot.

"Bruce...why are you here? On the League. I know you and Clark and Diana had ideas on the formation, and you've sunk money in...but you have in the past without maintaining active membership." Dinah's body language was...difficult to read. Those tricks of fighting that she'd learned in the year he had been traveling went a long way to make her hard to read at any time she did not wish to be.

"It's where I felt I should be."

"Bruce...what about Gotham? You're running a lot lighter on people. And you took over the Outsiders...not that I won't agree with you there on your reasoning, but aren't you stretching thin?"

Bruce considered, and almost did a double take. He realized she was using a very velvet glove, but under the gentle words was something else...another motive.

"I handle my city fine. Remember, you left," he accused, trying to find her temper, to make her reveal it to him.

"I did...and came back. Made a lot of contacts. I keep up with them, too. And they say the city isn't fine." She stopped their walk, turned to face him, and he had to use every trick in his own repertoire to not flinch from the sheer blankness of her features. There would be no forcing her secrets from her, not yet.

"I can handle my duties."

"Can you? Or is Tim expected to handle them, alone? You took Cass back in...and put her in the Outsiders. Dick's in New York. Barbara is in Metropolis. From what I hear, you don't particularly work well with the Question or Batwoman." Dinah reached up, touched his cheek in a manner that was very much her...and yet Bruce saw it as calculated.

"What do you want of me?"

"You. Off League. Watching, like you always did, willing to lend a hand...but taking care of Gotham. Taking care of Tim. Helping Cass readjust. I want you away from the League's inner politics."

Bruce's eyes narrowed. "Dinah..." If he couldn't crack the chairwoman, maybe he could reach the girl he'd known.

She shook her head. "When J'onn comes off something, and tells me he's not sure he can trust you anymore, I listen, Bruce. You went away for a year, and you were supposed to find your center." She met his eyes and held them. "You failed. I'm telling you to go home and try again."

"You can't make me do that. It takes a full vote to remove a member."

"Would you rather me haul this out and tell everyone you hid your motives on the OMAC?" Dinah paused. "Or that I believe you to be in conspiracy, again, concerning the real outcome of that little shenanigan?"

//Too damned perceptive, Dinah...where'd that unsure girl with the JSA stories go?// Bruce grunted. "How long?"

"We'll see, Bruce....and good luck." She bounced up, kissing his cheek. "If you need any help with dear old Ra's, I'm still around!" She smiled, and he had to shake his head.

"Still have trouble believing you fell for that..."

"Older, wealthy man with an air of danger around him? Please, Bruce...right up my alley."

//Too true.// Bruce walked away to clear out...and welcomed the excuse she'd given him privately to go do everything she'd said. Gotham was calling him home, and the League had been distracting far too much.


End file.
